William Lee (c1799-1864)
}} Immigration to the Colony of New South Wales William and his wife Johanna emigrated on 6 November 1841 from Liverpool, England on board the Sir Charles Napier. They arrived in Sydney on 10 April 1842. They were Protestant Bounty immigrants who could read and write. They were from Kings county in Ireland today known as Offaly county. The shipping-agent for the bounty immigrants on this voyage was a Mr Francis Reid of Glasgow who received £19 per adult from the Government of the Colony of New South Wales, and a lesser amount for children. For the voyage William showed his age as 36, and that of his wife Johanna as 37. He put their ages down to improve their chances of being accepted as bounty immigrants. William was shown as a farm servant and Johanna was shown as a house servant. Margaret Lee, 16, their eldest daughter also emigrated with her parents in 1842 and being over 15 is shown on the passenger list as a single female passenger. William and Johanna's 4 youngest children stayed behind in Ireland under the care of Daniel Patrick who was either their maternal grandfather or uncle. William and Johanna's 4 youngest children later immigrated as Bounty immigrants on board the Sir Edward Parry arriving in Sydney on 17 February 1848. This ship carried 42 unaccompanied children aged 7-15 to the Colony, and other older single males and females. Only 5 married couples and their 7 children were on this ship. Aboard the Sir Edward Parry in 1848 were: Henry Lee, 19, Farm Labourer from Eggles, Kings County George Lee, 17, Farm Labourer from Eggles, Kings County Jane lee, 12, no occupation from Eggles, Kings County Sarah Lee, 9, no occupation from Eggles, Kings County (The children were all at least a year older than the ages given above.) William's sister-in-law Jane Patrick, the sister of his wife Johanna, also immigrated to NSW with her husband and family as Bounty immigrants on different ships. The first to come out was Jane's son Robert Newton on board the Lloyds which arrived on 29 June 1850. He is described as: Robert Newton, 21, Farm labourer from Firlan (sic), Kings County. The next to come out was Jane's daughter Margaret Newton with her husband William Small and 4 year old son Arthur Small on board the Emily which arrived on 9 September 1850. They are described as: William Small, 35, Schoolmaster from Anghusby, Westheath County Margaret Small, 23, from Laymore, Kings County Arthur Small, 4, from Meares Court, Westheath County The rest of the family arrived on board the Sarah on 14 August 1851. They were described as: William Newton, 46, Labourer from Kings County Jane Newton, 44, from Gelling, Kings County Daniel Newton, 18, Labourer from Furbarn, Kings County Jane Newton, 16, Domestic Servant from Furbarn, Kings County William Newton, 12, from Furbarn, Kings County Alicia Newton, 9, from Furbarn, Kings County Mary Newton, 7, from Furbarn, Kings County (On this passenger list the children over 16 were listed with their parents.) In the listing above both William and Jane Newton's ages are understated to improve their chances of being accepted as Bounty immigrants. William was about 68, and Jane was about 49. What happened to the children of William and Johanna Lee? * Henry Lee was to marry his 1st-cousin Jane Newton (his mother's niece) in Hunter NSW in 1853 and have 12 children. He died in Taree in 1883. * George Lee was to become a Weslyan minister. He married Elizabeth Matthews in Chippendale NSW in 1857. In his work he travelled widely and his 11 children were born in Tonga, Maryland USA, Sydney, Melbourne and South Australia. He died in 1879 in Alberton SA * Margaret and Jane Lee married brothers William and Andrew Gill in 1843 in Morpeth NSW and in 1851 in Woodville NSW respectively. They had 5 children and 13 children respectively. Margaret died in 1852 in Woodville NSW and Jane died in 1883 in Cundletown NSW. * Sarah Lee married James Read in Maitland NSW in 1859 and died in 1905 in Morpeth NSW after having 11 children. Interesting facts from the voyage of the Sir Charles Napier in 1842 * When the Sir Charles Napier arrived in NSW in 1842 it was reported in the newspaper that she carried 234 bounty immigrants and 10 passengers. The bounty list contains 237 names including the name of a baby born to a married couple during the voyage. The names of 2 other babies born to “single” women during the voyage were not included but perhaps they were among the 8 children who died during the voyage. Also to die during the voyage were 2 adults and the Captain of the ship. The ship had sailed with Captain Huxtable in charge but he died of consumption 2 weeks into the voyage. 1st Mate Hayes was then promoted to Captain, and the ship arrived in NSW under the charge of Captain Hayes. * Of the 237 bounty immigrants 7 were infants under 12 months of age who travelled free. The bounty should then have been paid for 230 immigrants. Instead the bounty was only paid for 135 immigrants and disallowed for the remaining 95. The statistics were as follows: * After the voyage George O’Brien gave evidence against over 20 other immigrants on the ship, many of them “single” women, who had either sailed under false pretences or who had committed immoral acts while on board. Of the Immigrants against whom he gave evidence, all but 2 were disallowed the bounty. His evidence was also often backed up by the evidence that was given by the ship’s surgeon. Ironically George O’Brien was also disallowed the bounty for himself, his wife, and his 5 children (1 child being on the single female list, and 1 child being a baby under 12 months). This left him with a debt of £87 for the passage of his family. * The large number of “single” women (they were not all single) for whom the bounty was disallowed reflects the moral grounds that were often used for refusal. * The Lee family were among the immigrants for whom the bounty was allowed. * One of the women immigrants aboard the ship had been born in Sydney NSW. * During the voyage the new Captain and crew, all except for the ship’s surgeon, had dalliances with the “single” women on board. Also during the voyage the new Captain and some of the ship’s officers were frequently drunk. * A fire occurred during the voyage when alcoholic spirits caught alight. Part of the deck was ripped up to allow water to reach the flames. * Bounty Immigrants on board the ship did not often receive their full quota of food or water. The ship’s surgeon tried to make representations to the new Captain on their behalf. * The ship’s surgeon was given an address and letter of thanks from some of the passengers the day before the ship docked. (One of the signatories was described as “George O’Brien, wife, and 5 children.) This letter of thanks and a reply from the surgeon were printed in the Australasian Chronicle of Tuesday 10 May 1842. Bounty Immigrants - Sir Charles Napier, a case study Bounty immigrants were to have their fare paid by the Government of the Colony after arriving in New South Wales. Ships left from Plymouth or Liverpool and immigrants needed to make their own way to the port of departure. Immigrants applied to a shipping-agent who paid for their passage and hoped to make a profit on their fare when they later received the bounty from the Government. Once the immigrants arrived in the Colony, however, a decision was made as to their suitability. If they were deemed unsuitable and their bounty payment was refused they then owed the shipping-agent for their passage and began their new life in the Colony in debt. The bounty being paid in 1842 when the Sir Charles Napier arrived in NSW was: £19 per adult, or child 16 and over £15 per child aged 15 £10 per child aged 7-14 £ 5 per child aged 1-6 £ 0 per child under 12m The bounty list for the Sir Charles Napier lists those passengers for which the bounty was to be paid and those passengers for which the bounty was refused. The reasons for disallowing the bounty were kept in a separate book. Investigations were held into the suitability of the immigrants, and the investigation for the Sir Charles Napier has survived in a volume that is today titled Immigration Board: Reports by Immigration Board on complaints of Immigrants about their passage, 1838-87 that is held in the NSW State Records. This investigation shows that bounties could be refused on moral grounds. Immigrants could also be called before the Immigration Board in order to give evidence against other passengers. One passenger from the Sir Charles Napier who gave evidence was George O’Brien, from Ireland, who had sailed with his wife and 5 children. (He described himself when giving evidence as having 6 children. Perhaps and elder child did not immigrate with them.) The investigation of the bounty passengers on the Sir Charles Napier shows that people often gave incorrect information to increase their chances of being accepted for the bounty. The most common incorrect information was for adults to understate their age, but this could rarely be disputed. Giving an incorrect age therefore was not often able to be used as a reason for refusal of the bounty. Some people assumed another identity or status to travel to New South Wales. The second most common incorrect information then was to travel under an assumed name. This could rarely be disputed, but when it was able to be disputed was sometimes part of why a bounty was refused on moral grounds. Incorrect information that was regarded as abuse of the bounty system and used to refuse the bounty for passengers on the Sir Charles Napier included: * A single man and married woman with 2 children pretending to be a married couple. This woman was immigrating with her 2 children to join her husband who was a convict in the Colony. * A married woman pretending to be single (and understating her age) and having another family pretend that her son was their son. This woman was immigrating with her son to join her husband who was a convict in the Colony. * A married woman who pretended to be single and gave birth to a baby during the voyage. She was married to a soldier and was immigrating to join him. * A married couple bringing with them a 5 year old child that was not theirs. Changes of surname by daughters: * Margaret Lee married William Gill in 1843 * Jane Lee married Andrew Gill in 1851 * Sarah Lee married James Read in 1859